Fabric Painting is not a recent phenomenon, as is commonly believed; in fact the most ancient instance of fabric painting can be dated back to as early as 3000 B.C. Printing blocks belonging to that period has been found in Asia.
Alexander, who invaded India in around 327 B.C, is said to have been mesmerized by the variety and color of the Fabric Painting of the region. The development of trade route ensured that this art form traveled to different parts of the world.
China and Japan too were involved in innovations with the technique much before rest of the world discovered it. The Chinese invented the resist and stencil metho d.
Today many other techniques of fabric paintings have been developed around the world; batik, tie-dye, and shibori are just some of them.
Batik
Wax and dye combine to produce magic on cloth, and the magic is known as “Batik Painting”. Batik literally means “wax writings” in Javanese and is believed to have originated in the island of Java, Indonesia, however India too would like to stake claims to what has now become a very Indian art form, moreover it cannot be denied that Batik painting got a new lease of life after its revival in the art schools of Shantiniketan, (Calcutta).
The “wax resist' technique used in this art form makes it both unique and viable. The artistic freedom that the medium offers makes it an approachable art form.
The making of a Batik Painting involves three integral stages-that of waxing, dyeing and dewaxing (removing the wax).
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